Making paper dolls



(No Modem R.'MGCAL1VIONT.

Y MAKING PAPER DULLS. 4 No. 547,223. Patented Oct. l,V 18

ll'rrnn rares ROBERT MCOALMONT, OF FRANKLlN, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAKING PAPER DOLLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `.Eatent No. 547,223, dated October l, 1895. Application filed March 27, 1895. Serial No. 543,378. (lilo model.)

' the same.

The object of the invention is to furnish improved paper dolls and provide certain novel and useful devices or appliances for making the same; and the invention has particularly in view to enable children to make their own paper dolls by utilizing for this purpose the figures printed on the fashion-plates and in periodicals and other publications to illustrate different patterns or styles of costumes, thus not only affording a source of amusement to the children, but saving the expense of purchasing their paper dolls ready made and furnishing at a very small cost a great variety of interchangeable costumes for each doll. y

The invention and the manner of applying the same are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Wherein- Figure 1 shows in perspective a combined prop and head-strip and a number of bodyloops. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the combined prop and head-strip shown in Fig. l with a doll-head attached thereto; Fig. 3, a front View of a doll-body Without the head, the loop for connecting the headstrip being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 4, a front view of a doll complete, and Fig. 5 a side edge view of the same.

Referring first to Fig. l, A denotes a plain strip of paper, leather, pasteboard, or other flexible but rather stiff material. At its upper end this strip is provided on one or both sides (as preferred) with mucilage or other adhesive material c. p

B indicates a small flattened loop of any sort of material, but preferably of thin paper. On one side this loop is provided With muoilage or any other kind of adhesive material b.

The length and width of the strip A are not material. The former will necessarily vary with thesizes of the dolls, and the latter may be as desired. The length of the loop B is also immaterial; but in Width it should be such as to receive and clasp the strip A within it with sufficient friction to hold it snugly therein in any position of'adjustmentand yet to permit it to be slid in and out with the application of some slight force. These devices A and B, constructed as above described, constitute the essential features of the invention, and I will novv explain the manner of applying and using the same.

There are many varieties of ready-inade paper dolls on the market; but they are complicated and frail of construction and are so easily torn or broken that they last only a short While. Moreover, they are quite expensive, so much so that it is only Well-todo children Who can afford them.

My invention is designed to simplify the construction and cheapen the cost of these dolls and con templates utilizing obsolete fash ion-plates, old illustrated papers, and other publications and purposes making them out of the pictures that are contained in these prints, for the purpose of displaying the prevailing fashions in dress,`&c., the intention being to supply devices or appliances that will enable children to make the dolls for themselves by simply cutting out the heads and bodies of such figures asstrike their fancy and mounting them, as hereinafter more fully described.

In Figs. 3 and 4t, C illustrates the body part of the picture orgure of a child as cut out of some fashion print or paper, and D, Figs. 2 and 4, denotes the head. This head may either be the one belonging to the body C or one cut from some other gure; but in any eventit must be separateV from the body. Upon the back of the body, in line with the neck and preferably at a point between the shoulders, is pasted one of the paper loops B, (shown in Fig. 1,) it being only necessary to meisten the mucilage on the side of the loop and stick it on in the same Way as one would apply an ordinary postage-stamp. The head portion of the doll is formed by securing the upper end of the prop or head-strip A to the back of the cutout head D by moistening the mucilage a and sticking the head on precisely as in the case of the loop B. When the parts are thus secured together, all that is neces- IOO sary to complete the doll is to insert the lower end of the head-strip in the loop and adjust it until the neck of the head comes in proper position relative to the neck portion of the body.

As before stated, the strip A (shown in Fig. 5) is formed of relatively stiff material, and it is advisable to have it flexible enough to be bent backward, as indicated in the drawings. The object of making the strip of stiff material will be apparent when it is remembered that the paper upon which fashion plates and publications are printed is quite thin and flimsy, so that it is almost necessary to provide some support or stiffening to keep the cut-out figures in shape. The advantage obtained by having the strip flexible is that it may be bent backward at the lower end, so as to constitute a prop to hold the figure erect, thus permitting the dolls to stand alone, the wide base of the figure and the prop at the rear constituting a triangular base-support.

Such being the construction and manner of applying my improved devices, it will be noted that the invention is one of great simplicity, the parts being few and the manner of connecting them together strong and easily adjustable; also, that it permits of an almost unlimited interchangeability of heads and bodies, thus permitting each doll to have, as it were, any number of dresses or costumes.

In putting the invention upon the market I contemplate packing the strips in small packages or boxes of, say, a dozen in a package and including a number of the loops also, and as more than one loop may be pasted on the back of the body portion of the figure .it

will be best to make the number of loops in a box considerably in excess of the number of strips.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim isl. The hereinbefore described appliances for making paper dolls, the same consisting of the strip A having the adhesive material ot on one end, in combination with the loop B having the adhesive material b on one side; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The hereinbefore described improvement in paper dolls, the same consisting in the body C having the loop B pasted on the back thereof, and the separate head D secured on one end of the strip A, said strip being inserted and held in the loop B; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The hereinbefore described improvement in paper dolls, the same consisting in a body C, of relatively thin material, and having the loop B pasted on the upper portion of the back thereof, and the separate head D also of relatively thin material and pasted on the upper end of the strip A, said strip being of stiffer material than the body and being inserted and held in the loop B, and being also bent backwardly at its lower end to form a prop; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBT. MOGALNIONT. Witnesses:

F. W. OFFICER,

vv. D. IDoYLn. 

